Mandalselva

Mandalselva
The river mouth of Mandalselva by Sjøsanden in Mandal
Mouth	Mandal
Basin countries	Norway
Length	115 km (71 mi)
Mouth elevation	0 m (0 ft)
Avg. discharge	85 m^3/s (3,000 cu ft/s) at mouth
Basin area	1,800 km^2 (690 sq mi)

Mandalselva at Buøy

Mandalselva (English: Mandal River, Old Norse: Mǫrn) is a river originating in the mountains between Ose in Setesdal and Upper Sirdal, and it runs through the counties of Aust-Agder and Vest-Agder and out to the North sea river mouth by Mandal, Norway.

Mandalselva is 115 kilometres (71 mi) long and flows through the municipalities Åseral, Audnedal, Marnardal and Mandal. The largest tributaries are Monn, Logna, Skjerka, Kosåna, Logåna and Røyselandsbekken. Skjerka, Monn and Logna runs all out in the lake Øre in Åseral, and from the mouth of the Øre is the name of the river Mandalselva.^[1]

Hydropower development

Hydropower development of the river on a larger scale started in 1930. At present there are six power plants in the river: Logna, Smeland, Skjerka, Håverstad, Bjelland and Laudal.

The drainage basin is 1,800 square kilometres (690 sq mi). Mean flow of water in the river is 85 cubic metres per second (3,000 cu ft/s). In flood periods at spring and autumn water flow can be far greater. The highest streamflow in recent times were measured in October 1987, when it passed about 970 cubic metres per second (34,000 cu ft/s) at the measuring point Kjølemo in Holum.^[2]

Salmon and trout

The original salmon stocks are extinct as a result of acid rain, but extensive liming has led to a better environment in the river, and a new salmon stocks are established. It was caught 8.4 tonnes of salmon and sea trout in Mandalselva in 2011.^[3][4]

References

1. Mandalselva Store norske leksikon in Norwegian
2. NVE: Flomsonekartprosjektet Flomberegning for Mandalselva (022.Z) in Norwegian
3. Mandalselva Norske lakseelver
4. Statistisk sentralbyrå

External links

• Mandalselva in Norwegian

Coordinates: 58°02′N 7°28′E / 58.033°N 7.467°E